How The Bail System Works
The bail system is designed to guarantee the appearance of a criminal defendant in court at the time the judge directs. To be released on cash bail, an individual must post with the court the total amount of the bail, in cash, to secure his or her return to court on an appointed date, and thereafter, until the case is concluded.
Many people do not have the cash on hand, or available to them. An alternative to cash bail is the posting of a surety bond. What we do is post these surety bonds. This process involves a contractual undertaking guaranteed by an admitted insurance company having adequate assets to satisfy the face value of the bond. The bail agent guarantees to the court that they will pay the bond forfeiture, if a defendant fails to appear for their scheduled court appearance. The bail agent’s guarantee is made through a surety company.
For this service, the defendant is charged a premium. The amount charged to the guarantor is 10 percent, the legal rate regulated by the Department of Insurance. To be released pursuant to the posting of a surety bond, the arrestee, or a relative or a friend of the arrestee, typically contacts a bail agent, an individual licensed by the State of California to post surety bonds. Prior to the posting of a surety bond, the bail agent undertakes a detailed interview, as well as a complete application of the proposed guarantor (Indemnitor). Many times credit is extended to the guarantor who agrees to make predetermined payments to our company.
Frequently Asked Questions
A Bail Bond, technically called a surety bond, is a contractual undertaking guaranteed by a state licensed bail bondsman who is backed by an insurance company. The bail agent guarantees to the court payment of the full amount of the bond if the defendant fails to appear for their scheduled court appearances. For your protection, always deal with licensed bail bond company.
In most states, including California, the cost of a bail bond is 10% of the bail. Note that each state sets their rates and the rates are non-negotiable. There are no hidden fees or taxes for a bail bond. By example, if the bail is set at $25,000, then the fee charged is $2500, no more and no less by law.
When arranging bail, companies generally need payment in advance of posting a bond for the release of a detainee. We accept cash, Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover.
